


Of Time Travel, Trees and Ootsutsuki

by BowAndDagger



Series: Wind Howls, River Roars [2]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Daemons, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Alternate Universe - Time Travel, Beware: headcanons, Fix-It, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Implied/Referenced End of the World, Multi, Ootsutsuki Clan - Freeform, Platonic Soulmates, Romantic Soulmates, Warring States Period (Naruto), Zetsu's back-up back-up plans had back-up back-up plans, your Daemon represents your Soulmate's soul
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-05
Updated: 2018-10-05
Packaged: 2019-07-18 05:51:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,897
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16112168
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BowAndDagger/pseuds/BowAndDagger
Summary: "I think we’re in what will one day be the Forest of Death,” Sakura hums, eyes roaming around the clearing.Temari glances at her before looking in askance at the tree she's propped up against.Slowly, oh very slowly, she backs away from the trunk, keeping a watchful eye for the roots.“Right,” she says flatly, “We’re not staying here.”





	Of Time Travel, Trees and Ootsutsuki

**Author's Note:**

> Meanwhile, during _Wind Howls, River Roars_...  
>  (That first scene wouldn't shut up, I needed to write it!)

 

“I think we ’re in what will one day be the Forest of Death,” Sakura hums, eyes roaming around the clearing.

She’s playing with a kunai, not really noticing her actions. The blade flies between her fingers; sometimes it’s just an inextinguishable blur of metal.

Temari glances at her before looking in askance at the tree she’s propped up against. She blinks.

In a flash, she remembers the chunin exams and all the enormous critters and then the Fourth War and the creepy trees surging from the soil, and catching, and twisting, and tearing up bodies. Then her mind helpfully adds those memories to the fact that they were back in the past which meant _Senju Hashirama and Zetsu were currently very much alive and kicking_.

Slowly, oh very slowly, she backs away from the trunk, keeping a watchful eye for the roots.

“Right,” she says flatly, “We’re not staying here.”

Even the Konoha shinobi were quick to agree to her suggestion. All of them began to pack up what little belongings they had taken from sealing scrolls when told their project of going back in time had been successful. Knowing which supplies were at hand, and who had what would surely save their lives in those bloody times.

 

-_-_-_-_-_-_-

 

They have very little personal belongings in the end; there had been not much left after Kaguya and Zetsu’s return and little to no warning before they were whisked away to the past, courtesy of the Sage of the Sixth Path – as well as Naruto’s bullheadedness; he didn’t want to abandon any of the survivors and both him and Kurama almost killed themselves by providing the chakra necessary to transport them all.

What they have packed is what they had on them, what they took with them when they fled their Villages when everything went to hell.

Most of it are Anbu gear: it’s lightweight and offers much better protection than the usual chunin or jounin flak jacket. Of course, the fact that each Village had that kind of gear readily available and in quantity also helped their choice.

 

Gaara had given Temari some relics from Suna and the previous Kazekage, just before dying. She has no use of it; she doesn’t even think she’ll be able to even look at those artefacts before remembering her brothers, dead because of a mad alien princess.

Their loss is a blow she thinks she won’t ever recover from. She knows she’s immensely lucky to still be alive and even more so to have escaped whole with her soulmate at her side. Many of them didn’t have that chance.

 

(She carefully doesn’t look towards Darui whose movements are shaky and tense. Temari doesn’t know who his soulmate had been but the lack of his caracal anywhere near him is sufficient enough to know he lost them.)

 

She knows for a fact that Naruto has Konoha’s Forbidden Scroll packed away, that Sakura has an entire hospital’s supply of poisons, antidotes, bandages and remedies stocked somewhere on her person. She thinks she saw at least three of the Seven Swords of the Mist among all the weapons they amassed and she wouldn’t be surprised to learn they have enough Jutsu scrolls and diverse blueprints to open their own library.

The only thing their mottled crew won’t lack is money. A lot of money at that; neither their Villages nor the Daimyos could protest them robbing everything of value from the vaults. They were all dead after all and dead people don’t need money. But living people do.

(And even if they run out of money, they have enough blueprints of not-yet-invented technology to get several patents and live off of those.)

It’s enough to survive without a Village or a home base, even during the Warring Clans Era.

Enough to track down Zetsu to put an end to the scheming bastard and his endless back-up plans.

Hopefully.

 

\- _-_-_-_-_-_-

 

They busy themselves in silence, putting the vegetation to rights and erasing any traces of them ever being in the vicinity.

Unsurprisingly, the Konoha shinobi are good at smoothing out the tree barks and the soils. In no time at all, it’s as if they never landed in the past.

 

( Seriously, though. If the Sage ever has to send them back in time again, he should really work on the landing.

It had been explosive, to say the least. )

 

Shikamaru suddenly stops, a deep scowl on his face.

Temari shivers; all of a sudden she has a very bad feeling. Even Naruto – or maybe _especially Naruto_ , as accustomed as he is now to the Nara’s idiosyncrasies and habits from too many missions together – stills in anticipation, fingers of one hand twitching a hair-breath away from his pack, the other still buried in his Daemon’s fur.

The Nara, his wedge-tailed hawk Daemon fidgeting on his shoulders (a perfect mirror to Temari’s own emotions), stays still for a long moment before turning towards them with a blank face.

The Sand kunoichi knows that face.

It’s his _we-are-so-very-fucked-it’s-not-even-funny_ face.

She doesn’t like it. And she’s not going to like what he’s going to say.

“The Forest of Death was created less than forty miles away from the original Senju Clan compound,” he says, voice perfectly bland. “We’re right into Senju Tobirama’s sensor range.”

Nailed it. Damnit.

Temari feels it when her blood leaves her face as she sways on the spot. Oh Kami, they are so dead. Even the reassuring presence of her own Daemon at her back isn’t enough to ward off the shill.

 

There is a second of stillness before the clearing explodes in movement. Their packing up, already quick like all shinobi learn to do, becomes frantic.

Temari’s not proud of this but she – along with every non-Fire Country native – panics. Seeing Senju Tobirama in action during the Fourth War after being raised hearing stories about Konoha’s Second Hokage, was plenty enough, thank you. They don’t wish to be his enemies.

Konoha shinobi were raised in awe of their Second Hokage’s prowess in battle and of his genius and they have no wish to see for themselves of much of their history is true.

 

\- _-_-_-_-_-_-

 

They are no fools; anyone even barely acquainted with Hatake Kakashi has learned to look underneath the underneath. And the Fourth Shinobi War had been an eye opener for many Konoha-nin.

Hashirama may have opened the door to peace and begun to pave the way for the Villages. But it’s _Tobirama_ who had been the driving force being Konoha. The younger Senju brother had been the one to create more than half of their Village’s institutions, plans and countermeasures. He had been the one who stayed, tried and did his very best, despite a lifetime of war and a childhood filled with bloodshed.

If Hashirama had been Konoha’s face, then Tobirama had been its backbone and the hands shaping the Village.

It has also not escaped their notice, once the dust of the Fourth War had fallen down, that all the laws protecting the children – like increasing the graduation age and all the protective measures that makes Konoha a safe haven – were passed by the Second Hokage, not the First. That had been kind of a blow to learn.

And very puzzling.

Very disconcerting, too.

Because while some of those decisions had been passed during Hashirama’s tenure as Hokage, they had been filled under Tobirama’s name and handwriting.

Why had Hashirama – the one who had inspired Konoha’s founding, the one whose dream had been to protect children – not been the one to pass those laws and measures to protect the children and the basis of his dream?

 

(Hashirama, perfectly aware of his flaws and the fact he valued worldwide peace over little things, had intended the position of Hokage for Madara.

He did his best when he was chosen instead of his best friend.

But he wasn’t up to the task.

He forgot meetings, took too long to fill and class paperwork, spend more time with his people than in his office doing his work. He’s the Hokage fondly remembered for his people-skills but also the one still cursed by the administration for his lack of work ethics. )

 

After the Fourth War, it had become kind of a hobby to study the documents of the Founding. Those researches made clear the First was both a visionary and a futurist. Tobirama had been the one to look at the past, present and future and taken from all perspectives to build the best Village, the best safe haven.

Oh, Hashirama had been a good leader, a good Hokage, a good man. But once Konoha had been founded, he had turned his gaze towards peace in the Elemental Nations and left everything else happening in the Village to his wife, brother and advisors.

 

(A bit like a father letting the mother takes care of the children. Following that analogy, Tobirama had been doing most of Konoha’s raising up.)

 

The Konoha-nin respected and loved Hashirama for being the First and for founding Konoha.

But they were aware that, in the grand schemes of things, they owed everything to Tobirama.

In light of that, they really do not want to fight him.

 

\- _-_-_-_-_-_-

 

Once everything is packed away, they cluster together in a loose circle, their youngest in the middle in case of a surprise attack.

Naruto and Karin had quickly checked but there didn’t seem to be anyone coming their way. They have a bit of time to plan but not much.

 

( Both were a bit puzzled by what they could feel.

Sensing Uchiha Madara’s chakra and finding him calm and happy was flabbergasting. The presence of a faintly similar chakra next to him told them they had come back before his brother’s death. Good. )

As always, Hashirama was bubbly, Mito – and Karin and Naruto had looked at each other in awe at how much her chakra was Uzumaki and so similar to their own – was calm, unbothered and faintly amused. Tobirama was… well…

Karin had once described the future Second Hokage’s chakra as being very watery-and-thundery; Naruto hadn’t really been paying attention to the man’s chakra during the Fourth War but he remembered the white-haired Senju feeling jaded and tired if faintly hopeful.

The young man the two Uzumaki could sense was calm but happy, content and brimming with hope. )

 

“Alright”, Kurotsuchi begins with authority, “everyone forms groups. Four-people cells should do the trick. ”

“We’re separating?” Konohamaru asks in dismay.

“It’s not ideal but better that way,” Naruto puts a reassuring hand on his shoulders, “You, Hanabi and the kids are with me and Sakura.”

“Where do we go?” This time it’s Darui who asks. He’s listing slightly to the side, with Omoi fretting around him.

“Neutral grounds would be ideal,” Chojuro murmurs, “Maybe something central, too? It’ll be easier to act once we feel Zetsu. ”

“Maybe go to Uzushio?” Karin is quick to say, “It’s known to offer sanctuary, even during the Warring Clans Era. ”

“Won’t do,” Kurotsuchi counters with a grimace, “Earth shinobi of any clans aren’t exactly welcome in that country. There’ve been too many skirmishes. Earth-dialect is too recognisable; they'll kick us out or be too wary of our actions for us to be able to do anything. ”

 

The red-haired Uzumaki subsides with a pout. It would have been nice to see the Village only glimpsed through her mother’s faded photographs. She glances at her feet, where her mongoose Daemon is dozing. Her soulmate is here, among their rag tag group. She’s very glad not to have lost everything, even if she doesn’t know who her other half is… But seeing a familiar landscape – a place she has always wanted to see _whole_ – would have helped sooth her nerves.

Her attention is brought back to the conversation when Temari offers an alternative.

 

“We could go to Ishimura; it’s a little town in Iron, near Fire’s border. It’s entirely neutral and the people are not as hostile to shinobi as the rest of their country. ”

“Really?” Darui looks dubious, “Non-hostile? In Iron? ”

 

The Sand kunoichi shrugs, movement loose and easy.

 

“We stopped there before the Go-Kage Summit,” her breath hitches at remembering those times but she squares her shoulders and forges on. “ They were particularly welcoming of us and proud of their long-held neutrality to shinobi vs samurai matters.

“It’s not far and it is pretty central,” Chojuro agrees.

 

With everyone nodding their agreement, they start to form their groups. Sakura distributes some medicines and bandages to the designated leaders and to Karin before stopping at the edge of the clearing.

On her left, Naruto twitches before stilling, head tilted to the side as if listening to something only he can hear; most likely having a discussion with Kurama. His brows are pulled together as he looks at them, oddly hesitant.

 

“Kurama says we need a name. Being without one and yet clearly being together is too suspicious. Anyone worth their salt will know there is something going on. ”

 

Everyone looks at the civilian-born in their midst; a clan name would attract too much attention, but a civilian one…

Sakura is quick to shake her head.

 

“The Harunos are well-known merchants in Fire Country. Having a Shinobi Clan springs out of nowhere bearing that name will attract attention. ”

 

Left unsaid are the facts that Zetsu will immediately get on their case and that taking on a civilian name will put those same civilians in danger. And no one want to incur Sakura's wrath by endangering her family.

 

“We could… create one? ” Omoi suggests, “Except that an invented name could be too noticeable, and people are going to be suspicious, and Zetsu will hear of us and…”

 

With a long-suffering sight Omoi interrupts him by slapping a hand over his mouth. They can still hear his muffled protestations and frettings. They all ignore him.

 

“Actually…,” Naruto lifts a hand, shoulders hunched, “ Kurama is suggesting we take the Ootsutsuki name. ”

 

Dead silence welcomes his announcement. All the shinobi assembled boggle at him, utterly flabbergasted.

 

“What?! But. That! ” Sakura flounders for a moment, her words caught in her throat.

 

Her hands flail wildly in front of her, as if trying to convene the ridicule of the situation. She is quickly joined in her surprise by the others.

Shikamaru is the only one to not partake in the confusion. As always, he’s already thinking of the next steps.

 

“What Kurama-san is suggesting is a good idea,” he says over the other voices, cutting the chatter, “The Oostutsuki is the first clan. By now, at least one shinobi – or even some civilians – on every three has some Ootsutsuki blood, diluted or not. We could say we banded together because we were tired of the continuous war and wanted to go back to our roots. ”

“If anything,” he adds with a sly smirk once everyone quieted to mull over his argument, “it’ll explain why we have Kekkai Genkai users in our group. Especially a non-sealed Hyuuga. ”

 

Hanabi bristles. She doesn’t want to let go of her name! She just lost them all! Only Konohamaru pressing his shoulder against her and cuddling his agitated snowy owl Daemon in a silent show of support calms her down.

But…

But.

The Hyuugas were Oootsutsuki first. Technically she is already Ootsutsuki Hanabi of the Hyuuga. It wouldn’t be giving up her heritage; it would be going back to the beginning. No Main and Side Branches. No seal.

Just a family.

 

“Besides,” Kurotsuchi is smiling, a mischievous spark in her eyes, “once this is over, we’ll go back to our countries, to our Villages. And having members of the same clan in different Villages means it’ll be easier to maintain the peace. ”

 

Shikamaru is the first to chuckle and Naruto grins, delighted.

 

“Not to mention Zetsu’s face!" Karin gleefully adds. “He’s been trying to erase any mention of the Ootsutsuki Clan to keep the world at war. If the Clan pops up again on the political sphere, he’s going to blow a gasket. ”

“And an angry enemy is an easily trapped enemy. Perfect. ” Sakura’s smile is full of teeth.

 

Naruto takes a step, chin held high and a broad smile on his lips.

 

“Well, Kurama tells me we’ll have to do a proper ceremony later but for now this will do.”

 

He takes a breath.

 

“I, Namikaze-Uzumaki Naruto, direct descendant of Ootsutsuki Asura and Ootsutsuki Hagoromo, claim the name Ootsutsuki as my own.”

 

He stops from a moment, before continuing:

 

“I, Ootsutsuki-Namikaze-Uzumaki Naruto, claim you as my kin to cherish and protect. Welcome to the clan, cousins! ”

 

The air stills, Nature quietens. Then the wind blows, warm and fresh against their faces and the earth shudders.

 

Everything seems more alive, all of a sudden. Colourful. Full of energy. Of hope.

 

As if having a name, something they can claim as their own, anchors them to this time, gives them strength.

 

One by one, they take to the trees towards a little town in Iron. Their paths will be different; it may take longer for some of them, but they know they’ll all arrive safely.

 

They are shinobi. They are Ootsutsuki.

 

They’ll succeed.

 

\- _-_-_-_-_-_-

 

(Not far away, in the middle of the Senju Clan compound, Hashirama stops in his fretting over his brother.

He cocks his head, listens: Nature is whispering.

A broad grin pulls at his lips.

Change is coming.)

**Author's Note:**

> The speaking characters aren’t the only ones send back in time; they are others as well… They’re just silent and/or a bit shell-choked. And not all of them landed in Fire Country… (mwahahahahaha!)  
> Daemons and soulmates:  
> Temari – white-tailed deer = Shikamaru  
> Shikamaru – wedge-tailed hawk = Temari  
> Konohamaru – snowy owl = Hanabi  
> Hanabi – squirrel = Konohamaru  
> Karin – mongoose = surprise!  
> Sakura – undecided (/ probably red panda) = undecided  
> Naruto – surprise! (Cf. part 1, chapter 2) = Tobirama  
> (Tobirama - nine-tailed fox - Naruto)  
> Omoi – undecided = undecided  
> Darui – caracal = deceased (probably Samui or another Kumo-nin)  
> Kurotsuchi – never had a Daemon  
> Chojuro – undecided = undecided  
> I'm still undecided if those bonds are romantic or not; open to interpretation!
> 
> Thank you for reading!


End file.
